Roofing system using standing seam joints

Claim 1

In a sheet metal roof assembly including a plurality of roof panels inclined in a generally horizontal plane having vertically extending edge flange portions, said edge flange portions having edge sections at the upper ends thereof, said panels positioned adjacent one another so that an edge flange portion of one panel is disposed adjacent and parallel to the edge flange portion of another panel and the edge section of one of said adjacent panels is folded over and around the edge section of the other adjacent panel to define a standing seam joint, the improvement comprising: a continuous sheet metal cleat interposed between said edge flange portions of said adjacent panels and having an upper edge section folded together with the said folded over edge sections of said edge flange portions to define a seven ply standing seam which extends the length of said standing seam and is comprised solely of plies of said panel edge flange portions and said cleat, said folded edge sections of said edge flange portions and said cleat being compressed flatwise together in a tight flattened press fit contact with each other under a pressure of at least about 1,000 pounds per square inch of their surface contact area such that substantially no space exists between said edge sections in said standing seam, and gasket means of compressible and plastically deformable solidified material within and compressively deformed between said folded edge sections of said edge flange portions and cleat for sealing said joint without the application of heat whereby a soldered, completely sealed and weld-free flattened standing seam joint results to permit an improved roofing assembly to be installed for roofs with little pitch.